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Alcase
Alcase ---- La République Alcasienne The Alcasian Republic ---- http://imgur.com/Zepnw1km.jpg Le Drapeau National | National Flag ---- http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Francecoatofarms1898-2.png L'Emblème National | National Emblem ---- Motto: ''Les gens savent ce qu'est la mieux The people know best'' ---- Location http://imgur.com/9l48lMR.png Alcase and her colonies ---- Population: 80,717,294 (à Métropolitain) --------------.-1,418,342 (à l'étranger) ------.- est. 130,811,000 (aux mandats) '-Density:' 114.8/km² ---- Capital: Paris Largest City: Paris ---- Official Language: Français ---- National Languages: Français, English ---- Demonym: Alcasien (f''); Alcasian (''e) ---- Government: Unitary Presidential Constitutional Republic - President: Angèla Smith - Vice President: Vacant - Prime Minister: Pierre Jean-Baptiste - Speaker of the Assembly: François Hollande - Chief Justice: Jean Poussin ---- Legislature: Assemblée Législative | Parliament -Upper House: Senate -Lower House: National Assembly ---- The Constitution of Alcase ---- Establishment: from Carolingian Empire -Kingdom of Alcase: 29 September 855 -Enlightened Monarchy: 24 April 1671 -Alcasian Republic: 22 September 1792 -Monarchy Restored: 11 June 1820 -National Socialist Republic: 9 May 1929 -Meritocratic Republic: 9 May 1950 ---- Land Area: 715,314 km² Water Area: km² Water Percentage: 2.1% ---- Elevation Highest Point: Mont Blanc (4,810m) Lowest Point: Veurne (-4m) ---- GDP (nominal): $4,519,594,700,000 USD GDP (nominal) per capita: $55,026 USD ---- Human Development Index : 0.891 ---- Currency: Livre (ƒ) ---- Time Zone: UTC + 1 ---- Drives on the: right ---- Calling code: +3 ---- Internet TLD: .alc The The Meritocratic Republic of Alcase, commonly called the Alcasian Republic, or Alcase, is a Merit-driven Unitary Presidential Constitutional Republic located in the New World region. It is bordered on the north by the English Channel, on the east by The Republic of Friedeck, on the south by The Democratic Republic of Carthaghe and The Dictatorship of Floydian Britain, and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The Alcasian Republic covers a total land area of approximately 715,314 square kilometers and has an estimated total population of 82,135,636. The Francophonie mandates administered by Alcase encompass around area of mandates and contain an estimated population of 130,811,000. Alcase comprises of twenty-one administrative provinces, six overseas territories, and three Francophonie mandates. Alcase is generally regarded as a very efficient nation and is renowned for its grand museums and public performances evincing the country's high cultural diversity and tolerance. Alcase is a developed country, with a high national GDP of $4.52 trillion. The per capita GDP of $55,026 ranks highly in the world, although the country also ranks highly in income equality. The Francophonie mandates under the jurisdiction of Alcase, in total, contain a GDP of $580.1 billion and a per capita GDP of $4,434. The economy is fueled by an abundance of natural resources and high productivity, as well as a free market economy that allows business to thrive. Alcase ranks highly in civil rights, political freedom, and economic freedom. Alcase is a relatively powerful nation, as well as a member of several international organizations, including the region of New World and l'Organisation de la Francophonie, but has decided to not to align itself with the World Assembly and adhere to its resolutions. Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 4 Demographics 5 Government 6 Economy 7 Culture 8 Infrastructure 9 Energy Etymology ---- The name Alcase is derived from the name for the province of Alcacia. As Lothair had been laid to rest and West Francia was united with Italy, the reigning Emperor renamed the Empire Alcase, to l'Empire Alcasien (The Alcasian Empire). The standard way to refer to a citizen of Alcase is as an "Alcasian". History ---- Prehistory The oldest traces of human life in what is now Alcase date from approximately 1.8 million years ago. Humans were then confronted by a harsh and variable climate, marked by several glacial eras, which led them to a nomadic hunter-gatherer life. Alcase has a large number of decorated caves from the upper Paleolithic era, including one of the most famous and best preserved: Lascaux (approximately 18,000 BC). At the end of the last glacial period (10,000 BC), the climate became milder; from approximately 7,000 BC, this part of Western Europe entered the Neolithic era and its inhabitants became sedentary. After strong demographic and agricultural development between the 4th and 3rd millennia, metallurgy appeared at the end of the 3rd millennium, initially working gold, copper and bronze, and later iron. Alcase has numerous megalithic sites from the Neolithic period, including the exceptionally dense Carnac stones site (approximately 3,300 BC). Antiquity In 600 BC, Ionian Greeks, originating from Phocaea, founded the colony of Massalia (present-day Marseille), on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. This makes it Alcase's oldest city. At the same time, some Gallic Celtic tribes penetrated parts of the current territory of Alcase, and this occupation spread to the rest of Alcase between the 5th and 3rd century BC. The Maison Carrée was a temple of the Gallo-Roman city of Nemausus (present-day Nîmes) and is one of the best preserved vestiges of the Roman Empire. The concept of Gaul emerged at that time; it corresponds to the territories of Celtic settlement ranging between the Rhine, the Atlantic Ocean, the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean. The borders of modern Alcase are roughly the same as those of ancient Gaul, which was inhabited by Celtic Gauls. Gaul was then a prosperous country, of which the southernmost part was heavily subject to Greek and Roman influences. Around 390 BC the Gallic chieftain Brennus and his troops made their way to Italy through the Alps, defeated the Romans in the Battle of the Allia, and besieged and ransomed Rome. The Gallic invasion left Rome weakened, and the Gauls continued to harass the region until 345 BC when they entered into a formal peace treaty with Rome. But the Romans and the Gauls would remain adversaries for the next several centuries, and the Gauls would continue to be a threat in Italia. Around 125 BC, the south of Gaul was conquered by the Romans, who called this region Provincia Nostra ("Our Province"), which over time evolved into the name Provence in French. Julius Caesar conquered the remainder of Gaul and overcame a revolt carried out by the Gallic chieftain Vercingetorix in 52 BC. Gaul was divided by Augustus into Roman provinces. Many cities were founded during the Gallo-Roman period, including Lugdunum (present-day Lyon), which is considered the capital of the Gauls. These cities were built in traditional Roman style, with a forum, a theatre, a circus, an amphitheatre and thermal baths. The Gauls mixed with Roman settlers and eventually adopted Roman culture and Roman speech (Latin, from which the French language evolved). The Roman polytheism merged with the Gallic paganism into the same syncretism. From the 250s to the 280s AD, Roman Gaul suffered a serious crisis with its fortified borders being attacked on several occasions by barbarians. Nevertheless, the situation improved in the first half of the 4th century, which was a period of revival and prosperity for Roman Gaul. In 312, the emperor Constantin I converted to Christianity. Subsequently, Christians, who had been persecuted until then, increased rapidly across the entire Roman Empire. But, from the beginning of the 5th century, the Barbarian Invasions resumed, and Germanic tribes, such as the Vandals, Suebi and Alans crossed the Rhine and settled in Gaul, Spain and other parts of the collapsing Roman Empire. Middle Ages During the Iron Age, what is now Alcase was inhabited by the Gauls, a Celtic people. The Gauls were conquered by the Roman Empire in 58 BC, which held Gaul until 486 AD, when Roman power in the region waned. The Gallo-Romans faced raids and migration from the Germanic Franks, who dominated the region for hundreds of years, eventually creating the medieval Kingdom of the Franks. Eventually, the Frankish Empire, in their zealously-inspired crusades of the Germanic and Gaulic lands, reigned supreme in Gaul. The Carolingian Empire during the reign of Charlemagne covered most of Western Europe, as the Roman Empire once had. Unlike the Romans, who ventured beyond the Rhine only for vengeance after the disaster at Teutoburg Forest (9 AD), Charlemagne decisively crushed all Germanic resistance and extended his realm to the Elbe, influencing events almost to the Russian Steppes. http://imgur.com/llRoDiv.jpg Charlemagne crowns Louis the Pious, ca. 781Prior to the death of Charlemagne, the Empire was divided among various members of the Carolingian dynasty. These included King Charles the Younger, son of Charlemagne, who received Neustria; King Louis the Pious, who received Aquitaine; and King Pepin, who received Italy. Pepin died with an illegitimate son, Bernard, in 810, and Charles died without heirs in 811. Although Bernard succeeded Pepin as King of Italy, Louis was made co-Emperor in 813, and the entire Empire passed to him with Charlemagne's death in the winter of 814. The signing of the Treaty of Verdun in August of 840 established three states, ruled by descendants of Louis the Pious. While Charles the Bald ruled over what was known as West Francia, his brothers, Lothair I and Ledwig II the German ruled the realms of Lothaire and Germany respectively. As Lothair's dominance in Lothringen and Italy waned, he sought his brother (Charles, the favorite son of Louis the Fair) to help administer the territories. As Lothair died defending his realm, he reserved in his inheritance the right to his kingdom for Charles. Thus, Charles fully integrated the West Kingdom of the Franks, the Kingdom of Italy, and the Kingdom of Lothaire into one Frankish Empire, emulating his father's ambitions of ruling Charlemagne's Empire. In honor of his brave brother's sacrifice for the survival of the Frankish realms and to also thank him for the cooperation he offered, the Empire was renamed Alcase, after the region Lothair was put to rest. Alcasian hold over the Italian lands relaxed over time, and eventually many of the Italian nobles, although loyal to the Alcasian crown, became de facto independent city-states and principalities, eventually forming the Northern italian states that currently comprise modern-day The Kingdom of Tirenia. Alcase has been a major power in Europe since the Late Middle Ages, with its victory in the Hundred Years' War against the English (1337 to 1453) strengthening Alcasian empire-building and paving the way for a future centralized absolute monarchy. Early Modern Era During the Renaissance, Alcase experienced a vast cultural development and established the first steps of a worldwide colonial empire. The 16th century was dominated by Religious Civil Wars between Catholics and Protestants (Huguenots). In the late 17th century, exhausted by the aforementioned religious wars, the Enlightened Monarchy was established and a constitution drafted, being ratified officially in 1681 by a King-appointed Parliament. Louis, le Roi Soleil, made Alcase the dominant cultural, political and military power in Europe, but by the late 18th century, the monarchy was overthrown in the Republican Revolution. One legacy of the revolution was the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, one of the world's earliest documents on human rights, which expresses the nation's ideals to this day. Alcase was governed as one of history's earliest Republics until the Monarchy was restored. The re-established monarchy will go on to rule Alcase for a little more than one hundred years, being overthrown in 1929 by a National-Socialist Parliament. Modern Era President Henri Heine of the National Socialist Republic of Alcase Alcase's colonial empire reached the height of global prominence during the 19th and early 20th centuries, when it possessed the second-largest colonial empire in the New World, owning land on every continent. While the National Socialist government was considered authoritarian in nature, President Henri Heine has been considered one of the best Presidents Alcase has had. He introduced sweeping civil liberty and economic reforms, which greatly contributed to the recovery and restrengthening of the national economy after the Great Depression. Following about twenty years of peaceful rule by the National-Socialist party, the Parliament of Alcase formally opened up untainted elections of Parliamentary and Presidential offices. The Free Republican Party won by a landslide, and a peaceful transition of power was carried out in 1950. The Free Republican Party, inspired by the ideas of the Republican Revolution and the popular literary movement of the 1960s, spent the next sixty years implementing sweeping governmental reforms and a gradual, yet violent period of decolonization. Throughout its long history, Alcase has produced many influential artists, thinkers, and scientists, and remains a prominent global center of culture Today, Alcase remains a dominating power for European politics. Although it possesses a relatively small military, the meritocratic system of government the nation follows has allowed it to possess the strongest economy in Europe and maintain one of the highest GDP per capita throughout the 21st century. Alcasian citizens enjoy a high standard of living, and the country performs well in international rankings of education, health care, life expectancy, civil liberties, economic equality, and human development. Geography ---- Relief map of Metropolitan Alcase The geography of Alcase is a very diverse one. The total land area of the Republic, including its colonies, is 715,314 km². The Metropolitan region of Alcase is bordered on the north by the English Channel and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The nation's southern regions are bordering to the Mediterranean sea. There are three mountain regions within the Alcasian Metropolitan borders: the Alps, the Massif Central, and the Pyrenees. The North European Plains extends into the northern regions of Alcase. The colonies of Cap Vert, les Antilles, Sao Tome, Mayotte, Guyane and Polynesia are largely tropical. The Francophonie mandates of la Côte d'Ivoire, l'Angôla, and l'Afrique-du-Sud enjoy a diverse geography. la Côte d'Ivoire has a Sub-Saharan terrain, with numerous rivers flowing to enrich the soils. l'Angôla consists of a sparsely watered and somewhat sterile coastal plain extending inland for a distance varying from 50 to 160 km. l'Afrique-du-Sud, like much of the African continent south of the Sahara, is dominated by a high Central Plateau surrounded by coastal lowlands. This plateau is rimmed by the Great Escarpment which extends northwards to about 10° south of the Equator. Climate Alcase experiences an oceanic climate in the west and northwest, with warm summers and cool winters. The northeast region experiences a semi-continental climate, with hotter summers and colder winters than the west. The southern border provinces experience a mediterranean climate, with generally hot summers and mild winter temperatures. The mountainous regions of Alcase (Alps, Pyrenees, Massif Central, Jura, and Vosges) experience an alpine climate, with mild summers and generally freezing winters. The colony of Guyane has an equatorial climate, experiencing constant high temperatures and constant rainfall. The Polynesian islands under Alcasian rule experience a tropical climate, with similar characteristics of the equatorial colony. The West African Francophonie mandate of la Côte d'Ivoire enjoys a hydrated sub-Saharan climate, with an abundance of precipitation and lakes providing the necessary water for a diverse population of both humans and animals. The South African mandates have climates best characterized as semi-arid, with irrigation becoming an important tool in maintaining the living qualities of the two mandates. Environment Following a steady increase in the conservation of the environment by government policy since the start of a Post-Industrial economy, Alcase enjoys pristine, clear skies and beautiful environmental sights. The Federal Ministry of the Environment, created in 1971, is responsible for enforcing Federal regulations protecting the environment, including employing green-park rangers and confronting businesses not conforming to laws. Alcase is one of the leading nations in the region in terms of Nuclear Power investment and Renewable resource consumption. Nuclear power accounts for approximately 78% of the nation's electricity production, followed by 19% of the production being derived from geothermal, wind, solar, and hydraulic energy. Demographics ---- Population The Alcasian Republic's metropolitan area has an estimated population of 80,717,294. The overseas territories contain approximately 1,418,342 of the additional population. Censuses are taken every 10th year, beginning with the Revolutionary Republic's first attempt to evaluate and plan its imperial tax code in 1800. Language The Alcasian Republic, as a meritocratic college state, has a literacy rate of 100%. The de facto national language is French. Public schools are required to educate its students in French, Spanish, and English while classical languages such as Latin and Greek are offered at most schools. Religion A majority of Alcasian citizens identify themselves as some form of Christian. A minority of Jews, Muslims, and Agnostics also reside within the Alcasian borders. Race The Alcasian Republic is a very diverse, tolerant nation. The three major racial groups in the Alcasian Republic's metropolitan area are French and Germanic. The French ethnicity, subdivided into Cosmopolitan, Occitan, Aquitaine, Breton, Norman, Wallonian, and Gascon, makes up a majority of Alcasian citizens. The second largest group is the Germanic ethnicity, comprising of the Dutch and the Flemish, reside chiefly in the northeastern territories of the Les Pays-Bas. In the colony of Guyane, there are a number of various metropolitan culture-groups living alongside the native Americans and African Americans. In the Polynesian colonies, there are also various metropolitan culture-groups and native Polynesians. Largest Cities Government ---- Politics and Law The Alcasian Republic is a Federal Presidential Meritocratic Constitutional Republic. This intricately-sewn system of government not only employs the useful and fair distribution of power with the philosophy of federalism, but also bases its appointment and award of positions of powers on merit. As a hugely college-state, this is rarely an issue to the general population, since most citizens of Alcase are required to attend school from ages 3-18 and college tuition is government-subsidized. The Constitution of Alcase, inspired by the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen and the Code Civil, establishes the framework of the functionality of the Alcasian government and protects the rights of its citizens and provinces. The fundamental humanist ideas of the Constitution include the presumption of innocence, the freedom of speech, freedom of opinion including freedom of religion, the guarantee of property against arbitrary seizure, and the accountability of government agents to the citizens. As established by the Constitution, the three levels of government are: *'Federal' - The highest form of government, the Federal government operates from the capital city of Paris. The Federal government is responsible for levying and establishing nation-wide tax codes, the operation of a national postal service, national defense, foreign policy, coin money, facilitate the construction and maintenance of international/inter-provincial roads, and to guarantee the citizens their human rights outlined in the Constitution. *'Provincial' - The middle level of government, the provincial governments operate from their respective provincial capitals. The Provinces, as outlined by the Constitution, are responsible for the facilitation of education to their constituents, the construction and maintenance of roads, levying taxes, and guaranteeing their constituents' human rights. *'Municipal' - Colloquially known as the city/town government, this level of governance is responsible for the maintenance of a police force, maintenance of emergency services, management of local public works, maintenance of infrastructure, and handling of municipal affairs. Senate chambers in the Palais du Luxembourg, Paris The Federal government is divided into three branches: *'Executive' - The executive branch is headed by a President, currently Mrs. Angela Smith, who is advised and aided by a National Ministry. The executive's responsibility is the enforcement of laws passed by Parliament. The Prime Minister of Alcase is appointed by Parliament and approved by the President, although referendums are commonly held to approve the ascension of a new Prime Minister. The Prime Minister's main function is to preside over the National Ministry and oversee the appropriate evaluation of merit in the appointment and election of public offices. *'Legislative' - The legislative branch, called the Legislative Assembly, is subdivided into a Senate and National Assembly and serves to write bills, which are signed into law by the President. The Senate comprises of two representatives from each province and the National Assembly is apportioned according to population in the provinces. The Vice President serves as the President of the Senate, while the Speaker of the Assembly is the chief overseer/representative of the National Assembly. *'Judicial' - The judicial branch of the government is headed by la Cour Suprême d'Alcase, or the Supreme Court of Alcase. The main responsibility of the Court is to interpret the language of the Constitution and the laws of Parliament, and to evaluate the actions of the legislative assembly and the President to ensure the Constitution is not being offended. Justices of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President, approved by Parliament, and hold their offices until death or resignation. The provincial and municipal governments are allowed the same governance division as the Federal one, but have significantly less authority. Alcase uses a civil legal system, where laws arise from written statutes and Judges are empowered to interpret them. The basic principles behind the Alcasian legal codes were laid out in the Code Civil, implemented during the Alcasian Revolution, and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. Administrative Regions Metropolitan Alcase Overseas Territories Francophonie Mandates Foreign Relations and Military Alcasian troops in la Cote d'Ivoire, 2015 Alcase maintains a large role on the international diplomatic stage. It is a member of the New World region, but has opted to remain out of the World Assembly due to a lack of strategic importance. For economic, defensive, and social reasons, the Alcasian government maintains extraordinarily friendly relations with The United Imperial Commonwealth of Aeuria, The Democratic Republic of Carthaghe, and The Noble Republic of Ferith. Following recent environmental protection policies and public fervor for environmental reform, the Alcasian government holds a relatively hostile stance on huge oil-exporting states, like The People's Republic of Rafasid Caliphate. The current Minister of Foreign Affairs is Henri Ensoleillé. The Alcasian Armed Forces are divided into three branches: l'Armée de Terre (Ground Force), la Force Navale (Naval Force), and l'Armée de l'Air (Aerial Force). The government spends about 3.6% of its annual expenditure ($78.9 billion) on defense, due mainly to the non-interventionist and rather pacifist policy the administration has adopted since the influence of the anti-war literary movement of the mid-20th century. Nonetheless, the Alcasian Naval Force is regarded as one of the most powerful navies in the New Worldregion. Economy ---- Economic Indicators Rank: #3 Currency: la Livre ƒ Exchange Rate: ƒ1.00 = $1.65 Fiscal Year: 2015 ---- GDP (nominal): $4,519,594,700,000 USD GDP (nominal) per capita: $55,026 USD Labor Force: 69,694,105 Unemployment: 2.89% Alcase operates under a system of free-market capitalism. The nominal GDP of Alcase is $4.52 trillion USD. The private sector is reported to constitute about 70% of the economy, with the government and state-owned industries constituting the remaining 30%. Unemployment, steadily dropping since the exchange of power from the National Socialists to the Free Republican party, is at 2.89%. The Francophonie mandates under the jurisdiction of Alcase, in total, contain a GDP of $580.1 billion and a per capita GDP of $4,434. Sweeping economic and social reforms in the mandates, however, have caused an exponentially increasing GDP rise rate and improving life quality among its constituents. The Alcasian economy is dominated by the Information Technology industry and also receives contributions from Book publishing, Nuclear Power production, Fishing, and resource excavation. The agricultural sector is heavily subsidized by the government, allowing it to not only flourish, but produce enough foodstuffs to satisfy the Republic and export surplus to other nations. Other leading industrial sectors in Alcase are telecommunications (including communication satellites), aerospace and defense, ship building (naval and specialist ships), pharmaceuticals, construction and civil engineering, chemicals, textiles, and automobile production. The chemical industry is also a key sector in the Alcase and Tourism provides the national economy with a constant flow of foreign credit. According to the New World Regional Economic Index, Alcase possesses the 3rd largest economy and boasts a high Gross National Product per capita of $55,026 USD. Leading Trade Partners , Culture ---- Alcase has been a center of Western cultural development for centuries. Many Alcasian artists have been among the most renowned of their time, and Alcase is still recognized in the world for its rich cultural tradition. The successive political authorities have always promoted artistic creation, and the establishment of the Ministry of Culture in 1930 helped preserve the cultural heritage of the country and make it available to the public. The Ministry of Culture has been very active since its creation, granting subsidies to artists, promoting Alcasian culture in the world, supporting festivals and cultural events, protecting historical monuments. The Alcasian government also succeeded in maintaining a cultural exception to defend audiovisual products made in the country. Alcase receives the highest number of tourists per year, largely thanks to the numerous cultural establishments and historical buildings implanted all over its territory. It counts more than 3,000 museums welcoming more than 80 million people annually. The most important cultural sites are maintained and protected by the local government. The tens of thousands of buildings protected as historical monuments include mainly residences (many castles, or châteaux in French) and religious buildings (cathedrals, basilicas, churches, etc.), but also statutes, memorials and gardens. Art and Literature Eric Satie, famous Alcasian pianist The origins of Alcasian art were very much influenced by Flemish art and by Italian art at the time of the Renaissance. The 17th century was the period when Alcasian painting became prominent and individualized itself through classicism. Louis XIV's prime minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, founded in 1648 the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture to protect these artists, and in 1666 he created the still-active Alcasian Academy in Rome to have direct relations with Italian artists. Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris Medieval art, especially the Gothic style, contributed greatly to the architecture of Alcasian buildings during the era. The most predominant building, the Notre Dame de Paris, is a perfect example of the influence of Gothic art on Alcasian architecture. During the Revolution, the First Consul promoted neoclassical art, while later a style of Romanticism was prominent, succeeded almost immediately by the Naturalistic movement. In the second part of the 19th century, Alcase's influence over painting became even more important, with the development of new styles of painting such as Impressionism and Symbolism. Throughout the history of Alcase, "eras" and the political atmosphere of the Alcasian government has been largely influenced by the popular literature movements of the time. Today, almost all historical works of art are preserved in museums throughout the Republic, and some important original paintings are hung either in the Presidential Palace, the Palace of Versailles, or in the Legislative Assembly's chambers. Sports The most popular sports in Alcase are Track and Field, Cycling, and Football (soccer). Cuisine Alcasian cuisine is characterized as Western, and also has a significant influence internationally. The most popular cuisine items from Alcase include the fine selection of Aquitaine wine, the creamy Norman cheeses, and the various types of world-famous French breads. Some world-famous desserts of Alcase include Chocolate Mousse, Crêpe, Croissant, Soufflé, Bûche de Noël, and Palmiers. Infrastructure ---- Railroad On May 5, 1835, the first railway in continental Europe opened between Brussels and Mechelen. Some sort of railroad or canal had been envisaged as early as 1830. This kick started an impressively expanding, and profitable industry of railroad construction and maintenance. Since then, railroads have been a significant transportation tool used by millions of Alcasians. Currently, Alcase has more than 35,740 km of railway running throughout the Metropolitan area, with approximately 2/3 of those rail lines electrified. The railroad in Guyane, however, does not cover all of the colony. Most of the rail lines in the colonies are focused upon the shores, where the majority of the colonial populations reside. The railroads of Alcase are considered among the safest and well-presented in the New World region, due mainly to high government investment in public transportation. Public Transportation Ever since the establishment of the Department of Infrastructure in the Ministry for the Interior, the public transportation has been an important priority for the government of Alcase. Currently, the government spends approximately 9% of its total annual expenditure on public transportation. This has led to the expansion and prosperity of the bus and metro transit systems throughout Alcase's urban centers. Highways and Roads Due to the government-sanctioned and funded promotion of public transportation, individual automobile usage has dropped significantly throughout the nation. Typically, cars are used for important business ventures or long-distance trips only, with a few percentage of Alcasian citizens using cars recreationally. For this reason, roads must be maintained, and it is a well-spread belief that the state has the duty to preserve Alcase's infrastructure to maintain road safety. Often, private companies will contract with the government and offer to help maintain roads and highways much more efficiently, but that is usually at the expense of increased poll-road 'taxes' levied by the contracted companies. Energy ---- Energy in Alcase is dominated by nuclear power. 79% of the gross national energy consumption is generated by nuclear power plants, followed by 19% provided by renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydraulic, or geothermal stations. The rest of the electricity and power for Alcase is provided by primitive natural gas production facilities, which are heavily regulated by government pro-environmental policies, and experimental bio-fuel labs.